Thursday, May 14, 2020

Memory Catchers #SOSMagic

As writers, we are also memory catchers, like someone carefully running through time with our butterfly nets and whispering, "I caught one." 

When I read Elsie's post last week about her plain walnut box, I knew what I would be writing about today. I have a jewelry box that holds "junk" but also memories of so many different stages in my life. I'll be honest, I haven't looked in this drawer for a long time. But when I did, the memories were released.
  • Charm bracelets, a fad from my junior high days. A flute, a volleyball, and a key to happiness. 
  • Silver quarters I found while working the cash registers at McDonald's.
  • My high school ring and senior key.
  • My sorority pins and pledge ribbon from college.
  • A teddy bear necklace, the very first Christmas gift when my husband and I started dating. 
  • My broken engagement ring and diamond, which wasn't really an engagement ring because we were never really engaged.
  • A sycamore leaf pendant that I was awarded for Manager of the Year during my first career.
  • Some of Megan and Ethan's baby teeth that must have fallen out of the bag where I keep them.
  • Ethan's first library card when he was four years old.
  • My mom's business card when she lived in China.
  • Girl Scout pins when I was a leader for Megan's troop.
...any many other things that I have just kept tucked away over the years.

I really have no idea why I have kept many of these things in this drawer. I guess it is because I am a memory catcher, and just like butterflies, I don't always want to let them go.


14 comments:

  1. Happy Blogversary! Just right post for a celebration. Little things holding memories and stories.

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  2. When my father in law passed away, my husband and his brother sat at the table telling story after story going through his junk box. These little trinkets have memories and stories that we want to hang on to. I love how you got your idea from Elsie. And congrats on your 700th! That is an accomplishment!

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  3. 700 posts! That is phenomenal!
    I adore this piece the detail you put into each memory. A "memory catcher." How lovely. Thank you for sharing!

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  4. Live the photo and the list. Such memories! And 700! Congratulations!

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  5. 700 posts! Wow!

    I love the memory catcher imagery in this one!

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  6. Congratulations on 700 posts - that's amazing and wonderful! I love the idea of a gathering place for memories. It reminded me my varsity jacket megaphone pins are in the kitchen drawer form when one of the girls dressed up with hit for a school event. It's fun to remember when....

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  7. Congratulations on 700 posts! And I love that through your blog you don't have to let them go...they are held forever, just your beautiful memories of your items in your drawer!

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  8. And Queen Bee is Cathy...it's my old blogger account when I taught.

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  9. At least you have memories of your items. There were so many in my box that left me clueless. Interesting the things we keep, isn't it? Congrats on 700 posts!

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  10. There is such sweet symmetry in elsie being the first to comment on your blog and now inspired your 700th post. (But wait I read this and came back to comment today. Did you edit that part out???) I think it is interesting that both you and elsie had quarters in your treasure troves.

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  11. I love that you have faithfully written 700 posts, Leigh Anne! I loved your final sentence. You’re right; sometimes we just want them to stay.

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  12. 700 posts! Congrats, Leighh Anne! I had to go back and see when I started commenting. I was there for Baby Steps and of course for Milk Jug Calendar which is probably my all time favorite of your blog posts!
    These words at the beginning of this post make me swoon with delight: "As writers, we are also memory catchers, like someone carefully running through time with our butterfly nets and whispering, "I caught one.'" And they make me reach for my little book of quotable words to treasure!
    I treasure the memory of meeting you at that table in Indiana where we all enjoyed baked goods and time together as friends who finally got to meet each other!

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    1. And my favorite thing from your drawer of keepers? Ethan's first library card!

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  13. I do not know how I missed this! Congrats on the consistency of 700 posts. That is an accomplishment! I want you to know that I have a worry doll and girl scout pins tucked away in my jewelry box, too!

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